By Brendan Straub
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Schooners from all across the country, and even the world, took sail down the Chesapeake Bay under the threat of blustery winds from Hurricane Michael to raise more than $32,000 for preservation and cleanup efforts in the 29th Annual Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race.
“This is a great event because of the comradery of the crews and captains from all over the world while they are docked here,” said Laura Stevenson, executive director of Sail Baltimore.
The Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race is a non-profit organization founded to promote education and public awareness of the Chesapeake Bay’s maritime heritage. Proceeds from the race support local non-profits in the two areas where the race is widely celebrated, Baltimore and Annapolis Maryland as well as Portsmouth and Norfolk, Virginia. Officials estimate more than $32,000 was raised over the weekend.
Thirty-two schooners were set to take off down the Chesapeake Bay for the 118 nautical miles from Baltimore to Portsmouth, Virginia on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. But officials pushed the start time to Friday before noon because of a weather advisory focused on Hurricane Michael, which wreaked havoc on the Florida Panhandle and killed at least 18.
The delay also forced officials to shorten the race finish line so all schooners could arrive in Portsmouth on time for the second half of the week’s festivities.
Four boats took home top honors in their race classes: Sultana in Class AA with a time of 14:26:07; Hindu in Class A with a time of 15:34:18; Libertate in Class B with a time of 5:01:23; and, Sea Hawk in Class C with a time of 4:48:17.
With the shortened course, schooners in the AA and A classes finished at the E-W line at Windmill Point Light, while B and C class boats finished up at the E-W line at Cove Point Light.
“The race is really worthwhile for these boats and … for a lot of them, this is their last hoorah here at the end of the season,” Stevenson said.
Sail Baltimore has been bringing ships of all backgrounds to the Baltimore area since 1976 with the goal of providing residents and visitors with a firsthand look at some of the world’s greatest vessels. Stevenson said she loves the work that she does and knows these captains support her efforts while also being excited to compete in the race over the weekend.
The festivities began days before the schooners took off. The boats docked at the Anchorage Marina. The Norfolk Rebel was one of several boats that took time to offer tours and educate students about the heritage of the bay and the unique features of the boats.
Students from St. Casimir’s Catholic School in Canton and James Mosher Elementary School in Baltimore City walked around with volunteers and boarded several schooners. Educational programs were all done for free by the captains and crew of the boats docked that day.
“This is a great opportunity for all the captains and crew to come together for a good cause at the end of the season,” said Steven Briggs, captain of the Norfolk Rebel. “We have an opportunity to showcase our boats here and Norfolk. It’s such an awesome experience.”
Briggs is the son of Lane Briggs, a maritime enthusiast who launched the first sail-assisted tug, the Norfolk Rebel. It is one of the most recognized and welcomed schooners in ports down the east coast of the U.S. and Canada.
Lane Briggs was known as one of the men behind the creation of tugatine when it got its start at the Rebel Service’s first Crab Regatta. The rules of the race stated that only vessels fitted with sails could participate in the event.
Briggs, owner of the Steel Rebel at the time, wasn’t allowed to participate because his boat did not have sails. He fitted his boat with sails almost overnight and the idea of a schooner vessel was born.
“My dad had a passion for schooners and the ocean since he was teenager,” said Briggs. “He always wanted to give back to the community and show his appreciation for the bay and its preservation.”
Lane Briggs died on Sept. 19, 2005. Steven took over as the captain and gave the boat a complete makeover. From the exterior paint to the interior upholstery and bunk area for the crew, Steven Briggs now lives on the boat full time and is stationed in Norfolk where he said he hopes his dad’s tradition will live on forever.
“This race brings forth the comradery amongst the schooner race community and gives us a chance to compete in something we devote our lives to doing,” said Briggs. “My dad had a lot to do with all this so being in the race is pretty special at the end of the season.”
Ali Place, a crew member of the New Jersey based vessel, AJ Meerwald, enjoyed working with the school children and explaining the schooner’s evolution from a 1928 oyster ship off the Delaware Bay during the Great Depression to the prolific educational vessel is has become today. AJ Meerwald tours ports in New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania regions, she said.
“This gives these students an opportunity to get a hands-on experience with our boat as they get to touch the animals and look at small sea particles under our microscopes,” said Place. “This is a very unique experience for them and gives them a chance to learn about what they have in their own backyard.”
Place added, “I love being on the water and this boat gave me an opportunity to come down here and be a part of something that is so important for the eclectic history for younger generations to understand.”
Karen Bush, a retired transportation worker and volunteer, said she got involved through her friend Nan Nawrocki who is the chair of the Maryland Steering Committee. She predicted that the impact of the boat tour on the students goes a long way.
“It’s awesome to see these crews open their boats up for students while they are preparing to race,” said Bush. “Being on the boats makes so much more of an impact than just seeing them from the docks. Getting involved in the operations of a vessel is very interesting for a lot of the students.”
As the schooners prepared to race down the Chesapeake Bay, the staff at the Anchorage Marina and the volunteers worked to make everyone feel welcomed.
“We help with the crew hospitality and making sure the vessels are taken care of while they are here in Baltimore,” said Stevenson.